North Carolina Professional Development News

Spotlight Turns Toward Professional Development

The Office of Professional Development recently released a tutorial that offers an introduction to the North Carolina Professional Development Standards. This tutorial is best suited for individuals or small groups. Visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/guidelines/tutorial/  to access this important tool.

Also, don't miss the most recent issue of the Professional Development newsletter. "The Power and Practice of Reflection" is now available online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/newsletter/ 

WHAT'S NEW ON THE WEB

Award Recognizes History Teachers

The 2006 Preserve America History Teacher of the Year Award is open to K-12 teachers who specialize in teaching American History. This award is sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, Preserve America and the White House. Visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/socialstudies/ and click on the appropriate link to learn more.

Stay Current with NCLB News

The February issue of NCLB News addresses issues of concern for superintendents, Title I directors and other educators and professionals working to meet the requirements of NCLB. Key articles in this issue include new ABCs growth calculations, NCDPI proposals under federal review and what to expect with the delayed release of 2006 math End-of Grade scores. To read more, visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/ and click on the appropriate link.

Web Site Highlights Online Training Offerings Looking for a professional growth opportunity? The Department of Public Instruction's online calendar http://www.ncpublicschools.org/calendar/ is a great place to start. There are numerous ways to view and search for events or conferences to suit your needs. Also, don't forget that you can let others know about your seminar, workshop or activity. Just click on "Add a Calendar Item" and you're on your way. Remember to first read the rules to see if your event is eligible and then complete all required information. Items are edited and posted each Wednesday. If you have questions, please contact information@dpi.state.nc.us.

NEW IN PUBLICATIONS AT NCDPI

To order, please call 800.663.1250 or visit Publication Sales on the Web at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/publications/

K-2 Literacy Assessment Profiles (Updated) The updated Grades K-2 Literacy Profile folders are available. This folder lists all the English Language Arts goals and objectives from the 2004 North Carolina Standard Course of Study. One area of the folder has a continuum of reading and writing developmental stages. The document also provides space for documenting student progress and achievement of the K-2 Literacy Assessment. If your school system uses the state's K-2 Assessment, these folders are a must.

LA103, 2005, $7.00

Middle Grades Science Instructional Strategies (New) Written by a team of middle school science teachers, this document is a compilation of ideas and strategies representative of combined years of successful science teaching. The document's goal is to equip the novice teacher with sound, practical ideas to incorporate into designing lessons and to perhaps provide a seasoned teacher with new formatting for an instructional idea. These ideas and strategies are appropriate for grades six, seven and eight. A thorough understanding of these ideas and strategies is necessary to fully utilize the grade specific content modules (below).

SC144, 2005, $9.00

Middle Grades Science Modules

Written by a team of middle school science teachers, the Middle Grades Science Modules are written for specific grade content. A thorough understanding of the MIDDLE GRADES SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES DOCUMENT is necessary to fully utilize the grade specific content modules. Each module includes a narrative storyline of the "big ideas" associated with each goal, an explanation of how National Science Education Standards and benchmarks define content of a specific goal, ideas for exploration of goals and Web resources.

Middle Grades Science Module Sixth Grade (New) SC141, 2005, $7.50

Middle Grades Science Module Sixth Grade (New) SC142, 2005, $7.50

Middle Grades Science Module Sixth Grade (New) SC143, 2005, $13.00